The present invention generally relates to an apparatus, a system and a method that provides a dental diagnosis and/or a dental appliance to a user. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus, a system and a method that allows one or more users to have a portion of their mouths examined and subsequently receive a diagnosis of their medical conditions. The present invention further provides an apparatus, a system and a method for one or more users to receive a corrective dental apparatus depending on their medical conditions. In addition, the present invention provides a means to receive payment for the services.
It is, of course, generally known to analyze teeth of an individual. Throughout the life of an individual, teeth often require corrective measures to remain healthy or to correct defects with which an individual may be born or develop at later ages, such as an overbite, overjet, crowding, and/or spacing of teeth. The need for corrective measures for teeth has brought about various procedures, examinations, diagnoses and the like, such as those provided by a dentist or orthodontist, as well as corrective measures in the form of dental appliances which may be worn in the mouth.
However, dentists and orthodontists often are inaccessible due to a person""s schedule, geographic location or various other reasons. Moreover, such professionals may be unaffordable to some individuals. In other cases, such as in third world countries, dentists and orthodontists are inaccessible to some individuals for reasons such as poverty or the inability to travel to a dental office. Consequently, those living in third world countries are often devoid of quality dental care and/or necessary corrective measures, including diagnosis and advice.
It is also generally known to provide a machine that examines a mouth and/or teeth of a user who seeks a diagnosis and/or corrective measures. Such a machine instructs users as to whether they require a dental appliance. The machine functions in an environment completely independent of a dental office or the like. However, known machines are complex and are limited in their scope of examination. For example, known machines may take images of the entire interior of the mouth. As a result, the examination process is tedious and time-consuming. Moreover, the accuracy of the diagnosis of known machines is dependent on the angle at which images of the interior of the mouth are taken. In addition, the data taken by known machines is compared to data stored in the machine. With such machines, the processing unit within the machine and its associated programming is the only source for providing a user with a diagnosis.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved apparatus, system and method for providing an improved dental diagnosis. In addition, a need exists for an apparatus, a system and a method for providing improved image data evaluation by submission of image data, taken, for example, by a digital camera, digital x-ray or the like, via the internet, electronic mail, telephony means, satellite or the like, for further evaluation and/or diagnosis as well as remote dispensing of a corrective appliance, if necessary.
The present invention provides an apparatus, a system and a method as well as a simplified impression or photographic technique that allows one or more users to have portions of their mouths examined and/or receive a diagnosis of their condition. The present invention further provides an apparatus, a system and a method or impression or photographic technique enabling a user to receive a corrective dental appliance depending on their condition. To this end, in an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user and dispenses one of a plurality of dental appliances worn on a mouth of the user or a single one-size fits all appliance. The apparatus has an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image. The apparatus further has a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions. The central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further has input means for entering information into the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further has a payment device programmed to receive payment from the user.
In an embodiment, the image of the portion of the mouth of the user is an image of a single tooth of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In an embodiment, the portion of the mouth of the user is from a midline of a set of teeth of the user to a back portion of an interior of the mouth of the user.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The apparatus has an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of a mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image. The apparatus further has a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit provides a diagnosis to the user of the orthodontic state of the user based on the image obtained by the image capturing device wherein the portion of the mouth of the user is a single tooth of the user.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further has input means entering information into the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further has a payment device programmed to receive payment from the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The apparatus has an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user wherein the portion of the mouth of the user is from a midline of a set of teeth of the user to a back portion of an interior of the mouth of the user, the image capturing device producing a signal indicative of the image. The apparatus further has a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further has input means for entering information into the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the apparatus further has a payment device programmed to receive payment from the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The system has an apparatus having an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of a mouth of the user. The apparatus further has a data transmission device capable of transmitting the image as a signal indicative of the image. The system further has a central processing unit located remote from the apparatus programmed with statistical data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit communicates with the apparatus and receives the signal from the apparatus.
In an embodiment, the system further has input means for entering information into the data transmission device.
In an embodiment, the system further has a payment device programmed to receive payment from the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions. The central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed to diagnose the orthodontic state of the user based on the age of the user.
In an embodiment, the portion of the mouth of the user is a single tooth of the user.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of dental appliances wherein one or more of the dental appliances is worn in the mouth of the user; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of the portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states corresponding to each of a type and size of the dental appliances; obtaining the image of the portion of the mouth of the user; and transmitting the image to the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the image of the portion of the mouth is of a single tooth of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of dental appliances wherein each of the dental appliances is worn in the mouth of a user; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of the portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states; obtaining the image of the portion of the mouth of the user; and transmitting the image to the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the image of the portion of the mouth is of a single tooth of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In an embodiment, the portion of the mouth is from a single tooth of the user to a midline of the user.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit provides a diagnosis to the user of the orthodontic state of the user based on the signal transmitted by the image capturing device; obtaining the image of the portion of the mouth of the user wherein the portion of the mouth is a single tooth of the user; and transmitting the image to the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing an apparatus having an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of a mouth of the user, the apparatus further having a data transmission device capable of transmitting a signal indicative of the image or a set of data of the user to a central processing unit; providing a central processing unit located remote from the apparatus programmed with statistical data regarding orthodontic conditions; obtaining the image of the portion of the mouth of the user; and transmitting the image to the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the portion of the mouth of the user is a single tooth of the user.
In an embodiment, the portion of the mouth of the user is from a midline of a set of teeth of the user to a back portion of an interior of the mouth of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed to diagnose the orthodontic state of the user based on the age of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user, the method has the steps of: providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user wherein the portion of the mouth of the user is from a midline of a set of teeth of the user to a back portion of an interior of the mouth of the user, the image capturing device producing a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit provides a diagnosis to the user of the orthodontic state of the user based on the signal transmitted by the image capturing device; obtaining the image of the portion of the mouth of the user wherein the portion of the mouth is a single tooth of the user; and transmitting the image to the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit classifies the signal sent by the image capturing device into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The apparatus has a data input device that receives input as to an age of the user. The apparatus further has a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit diagnoses the orthodontic state of the user based on the age of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method has the steps of: providing an input device; inputting an age of the user in the input device; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions and receiving information from the input device; and providing a diagnosis to the user of the orthodontic state of the user based on the age of the user.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The apparatus has an image capturing device attached to a rod or rods and movable on the rod or rods wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of the portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image. The apparatus further has a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions wherein the central processing unit receives the signal sent by the image capturing device and classifies the signal into a plurality of orthodontic states.
In an embodiment, the central processing unit is located remote from the image capturing device.
In an embodiment, the image is of a single tooth of the user.
In an embodiment, the image is from a midline of teeth of the user to a back portion of the mouth of the user.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method has the steps of: providing a wafer; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the wafer within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the wafer; and transmitting the image of the wafer to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method has the steps of: providing a film; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the film within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the photosensitive film; and transmitting the image of the film to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method has the steps of: providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user; transmitting the image of a portion of the mouth of the user to the central processing unit; and altering the image.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method has the steps of: providing an output device; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; and querying the user regarding the orthodontic state of the user via the output device.
In an embodiment, the method has the further steps of: providing an input device; and inputting a response from the user to a query from the central processing unit.
In an embodiment, the method has the further step of transmitting the response to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method has the steps of: providing a tray; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the tray within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the tray; and transmitting the image of the tray to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The apparatus has an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image. The apparatus further has a focusing mechanism by which the image capturing device is able to focus. The apparatus further has a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions and further programmed to diagnose the orthodontic state of the user based on a distance between the focusing mechanism and the user.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image of a portion of the mouth of the user and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a focusing mechanism by which the image capturing device is able to focus; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions and further programmed to diagnose the orthodontic state of the user based on a distance between the focusing mechanism and the user; positioning the focusing mechanism toward the mouth of the user; obtaining the image of the portion of the mouth of the user; and transmitting the image to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing a wafer; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit located remote from the image capturing device programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the wafer within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the wafer; and transmitting the image of the wafer to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing a tray; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit located remote from the image capturing device programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the tray within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the tray; and transmitting the image of the tray to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing an impression device capable of obtaining an impression of a tooth of the user; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the impression device within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the impression device; and transmitting the image of the impression device to the central processing unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method provides a diagnosis of an orthodontic state of a user. The method comprises the steps of: providing an impression device capable of obtaining an impression of a tooth of the user; providing an image capturing device wherein the image capturing device obtains an image and produces a signal indicative of the image; providing a central processing unit located remote from the image capturing device programmed with data regarding orthodontic conditions; positioning the impression device within a mouth of the user and making an impression of a tooth of the user; capturing an image of the impression device; and transmitting the image of the impression device to the central processing unit.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide an apparatus, a system and a method for providing a user with a diagnosis of his dental condition.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a system and a method for dispensing a corrective dental appliance for a user.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a system and a method that allows evaluation of the mouth of the user based on results extrapolated from an image of a single tooth.
Further, an advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a system and a method for evaluating images of the portion of the mouth of the user by transmitting the images to a remote central processing unit and/or a remote individual.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a system and a method for providing evaluation and/or diagnosis of teeth for users throughout the world, including individuals of various races.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a system and a method for dispensing corrective dental appliances based on categories of severity regarding dental conditions to improve efficiency of the evaluation.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a system and a method for communicating with the user and diagnosing temporomandibular joint conditions, by verbal means, such as a speaker system or the like, or written means.